First Draft
by dreamflower02
Summary: When Aragorn and Arwen come to visit Rivendell some years after becoming King and Queen, Erestor has an interesting find to show him, and his guests, the Thain and the Master of Buckland. (Written for prompts from hhimring and the winterwitch for 2015 B2MeM). NEW! One-shot, book-verse, post-Quest.


**B2MeM Challenge: **This prompt by **hhimring**:_ Someone opens the pages of a book and something falls out.  
The book is either a volume from the Rivendell library or the personal copy of an inhabitant of Rivendell. It could contain Bilbo's translations from the Elvish or an ancient elvish lay or be a ledger of household accounts-there are many possibilities.  
What is it that falls out of the book: a fragment of a letter, a pressed flower, a ripped page or an elaborate bookmark, maybe? Does it evoke memories or trigger a discovery? Perhaps it even has some kind of special powers?  
Who is it who opens the book-Elrond himself, someone who lives in Rivendell or a visitor?  
This could be set at any time since the founding of Rivendell and feature in very different types of stories.  
_And this prompt by **the_winterwitch**:_ Any kind of fanwork - story, art, craft - show us or tell us about a book/scroll/manuscript from Elrond's library. Title, description, summary, cover, binding, endpapers, the art of book-binding, illumination or anything related, or a story about one particular book, be it its creation, history, content, or just playing a major role in any kind of story. It doesn't have to be a complete work/book either. Anything goes here, provided it centers around anything that has to do with the Library of Rivendell.  
This could be set at any time since the founding of Rivendell and feature in very different types of stories.  
_**Format: **Short story, art,  
**Genre: **Friendship, Nostalgia, Calligraphy  
**Rating: **G  
**Warnings: **n/a  
**Characters: **Aragorn, Arwen, Erestor, Merry, Pippin  
**Pairings: **Aragorn/Arwen  
**Creators' Notes (optional): **See the end notes.  
**Summary: **When Aragorn and Arwen come to visit Rivendell some years after becoming King and Queen, Erestor has an interesting find to show him, and his guests, the Thain and the Master of Buckland.

**First Draft**

"It is good to see you again, Erestor." Aragorn took a deep breath and let it out again. In spite of all the years away, in spite of the many changes, Rivendell still felt like home.

"I am glad to see you as well, Estel." He spoke mildly, but there was a twinkle in his eye. He was well aware of the irony of addressing the High King of Gondor and Arnor by his childhood name.

"Yes, Meriadoc and Peregrin," came the voice of the Queen. "I have already asked for a tea to be sent up here to the library in a few moments. I am sorry that Samwise and his family could not come this time."

"Well, a wedding takes a lot of planning. Sam's parting with his oldest daughter, and Rose is hoping to make it a grand affair." Merry gave a sly look to the King as they entered the room. He gave a brief nod that did for him and Pippin in lieue of a bow, and said, "Of course, it would make it the grandest wedding the Shire has ever seen if the King and Queen attended. I am absolutely certain he could get permission from the Thain, the Master and the Mayor."

"Now, Merry," Aragorn said, "we have been through this all before."

"Well, at any rate, even if the King doesn't attend," said Pippin with ill-concealed glee, "The Queen can attend. She is not a Man after all."

"I shall have to think on it, Sir Peregrin," she said archly.

"Arwen!" Aragorn exclaimed.

Everyone else burst out into laughter, including Erestor.

But just then the tea trolley arrived, and the hobbits were completely distracted until all were settled in with refreshment in hand.

There was the usual hobbit chit-chat over food. "I must say, ever since both Bagginses left, Rivendell is the only place I can get Bilbo's seedcake."

Arwen smiled. "That is because one of the first things Bilbo did was give the cooks here his recipe for both his seedcake and his honeycake!"

Erestor sat forward, "Speaking of Bilbo reminds me! A few weeks ago we found something here in the library that might interest all of you." He rose and went over to one of the shelves and removed a book, and took a paper from within.

[To see the page, add the universal prefixes, remove the spaces and change "dot" to a period, and paste the link into your search engine to see the illustration. It is an important part of the story.]

: / / i c dot pics dot livejournal dreamflower02 / 4494641 / 138186 / 138186_600 dot jpg

"He wrote it for me not long after our first meeting here. I was so touched by it; he was the first outsider to know my true identity, other than those who'd known before I did. He was certain that I would achieve my goal."

"And so you did, my love," said Arwen, laying her hand gently over his.

"Well, I like the final version better," said Pippin, "but it's lovely to see his handwriting again. Good old Bilbo!"

"Good old Bilbo, indeed!" added Merry. "Do you suppose we could get his seedcake recipe from the cooks?" he asked as he managed to snatch the last one before Pippin could.

o0o0o0o0o0o

**Author's End Notes:** This story takes place during the second progress of Elessar's visit to the Northern Kingdom. I always assume that there would be a visit to Rivendell at a time like that. It's in S.R. 1450, since Elanor weds in S.R. 1451.

About the "rough draft": This is done on "parchment-style" cardstock with a copperplate nib. I patterned the calligraphy sort of after the font by Nancy Lorenz known as "Bilbo-hand". I deliberately did not try to lay out the poem perfectly. I allowed myself to be a little careless.

I also played around, experimenting with wording that was different, and scrawled a few rhymes in the borders. I know how I am when writing poetry, and I know that I never hit it exactly right the first go-round. I don't expect Bilbo was any different. I also played around with the opening line, a little tribute to Shakespeare: _"All that glisters is not gold."_ from _"Merchant of Venice"_ by way of **lindelea**. *waves*


End file.
